Hoda Kotb Book Party: Matt Lauer, Suze Orman, the Giffords & Jeff Zucker on his future: ‘Relax and wait for the next endeavor.’

By Molly Stark Dean 

TVNewser dropped in on Hoda Kotb’s book party at Donny Deutsch’s townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side last night.

The longtime NBC News correspondent and co-host of the 4th hour of “Today” has written Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee, out today.

Spotted at the soiree: “Today” anchor Matt Lauer, who joked with us: “This is your place, right?” and MSNBC’s “Way to Early” host Willie Geist who joked about Deutsch’s pad: “This place is taking longer to remodel than Yankee stadium.”

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Kotb says she was “blown away by Donny’s generosity” and thanked Kathie Lee Gifford for “lending her name for the book.” The 12-year NBC vet took everybody’s advice when “they said, ‘you better hurry up and write that book before your show gets canceled.'”

“I’m extremely happy about my book,” Kotb told TVNewser, “I’m thrilled about everybody who came out on a Monday night in New York City.” Including Frank Gifford who missed the Vikings-Jets Monday Night Football game to attend.

Even Kotb’s mom made it to the party. “My mom got pictures with everybody. She got pictures with Joan Rivers; she got one with Kathie Lee and Frank, and Al Roker. I have my mom here, my high school friends, my college friends. I feel so blessed.” (Video: after the jump)

NBC CEO Jeff Zucker, who is leaving NBCU once the Comcast deal closes, also came out to support Kotb. About his future, Zucker told us he’s going to “relax and wait for the next endeavor.” When asked if he’s writing a book, he told TVNewser, “you never know.”

Tamron Hall made an appearance before heading over to the Grand Hyatt in Midtown for the Edward R. Murrow Awards dinner where she was a presenter.

CNBC host Suze Orman praised Kotb: “I like her. She is the real deal.” The host of “The Suze Orman Show” on CNBC then talked about “Saturday Night Live”‘s obsession with her. “It seems like they make fun of me every week.”

Kotb is no stranger to SNL impersonations either.

Former local news anchor and Oprah BFF, Gayle King, was also there to support Kotb.

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